Removal of copper in synthetic water with the use of pectin from orange peel (Citrus sinensis)

Abstract

Water is a vital natural resource for the development of life on the planet, unfortunately it has been contaminated by heavy metals, it is necessary to treat used water that has acquired foreign elements, there are treatments through the use of biomasses to which contaminants adhere. In order to reduce the amount of copper in synthetic water, the adsorption technique was used by means of pectin extracted from orange peel (Citrus sinensis), studying the behavior of copper removal at different pH levels (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) and different copper concentrations (50ppm, 100ppm, 150ppm, 200ppm and 250ppm). As a result, it was obtained that the optimum pH to eliminate copper is 6, obtaining 99% removal, while the ideal copper concentration to achieve the maximum percentage of removal is 50 ppm. The use of biomasses such as orange peel, apart from serving to eliminate heavy metals during water treatment, allows taking advantage of these organic wastes that could become large volumes of garbage that if not handled correctly could impact the soil, air, water bodies, and generate harmful fauna.